Medicament and therapeutical method for treating idiopathic asthenozoospermia

ABSTRACT

A therapeutical method is disclosed for treating idiopathic asthenozoospermia which comprises orally or parenterally administering to a patient in need thereof a combination preparation comprising in admixture L-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine or the pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof, in substantially equimolar amouts.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/980,821,filed on Dec. 1, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,940.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a medicament and a therapeutical methodfor treating patients affected by idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Idiopathic asthenozoospermia, a disorder of sperm motility, is apost-testicular cause of infertility due to various ethiology, i.e.congenital defects of the sperm tail, maturation defects, immunologicaldisorders or infection.

Spermatozoa are produced in the testis and undergo post-gonadalmodifications in the epididymis to acquire fertilizing ability. Inepididymal plasma, high-molecular-weight proteins and such smallmolecules as free carnitine convert the gametes into “competent” andfunctional-cells. Free L-carnitine is taken up from blood plasma andconcentrated in the epididymal lumen. This epididymal secretion isbeneficial for spermatozoa and is not merely an excretory waste. Freecarnitine goes through the sperm plasma membrane by passive diffusion.Free L-carnitine is acetylated in mature spermatozoa only. The excessacetyl-CoA from the mitochondria is probably stored asacetyl-L-carnitine and modulates the reserves of free CoA essential tothe function of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This property ofL-carnitine of buffering CoA in the mitochondrial matrix is known insomatic cells but is accentuated in male germinal cells. Therelationship between the endogenous pool of free and acetylatedL-carnitine and the percentage of progressive sperm motility indicates amore important metabolic function related to flagellar movement. Thus,the potential of initiating sperm motility which takes place in theepididymis is probably independent of the carnitine system while theenergy properties of acetyl-L-carnitine is relevant in situations of“energy crisis”. The uptake of cytoplasmic free L-carnitine in maturespermatozoa must be a protective form of mitochondrial metabolism usefulto the survival of this isolated cell.

Several drugs for treating idiopathic asthenozoospermia, none of themcompletely satisfactory, are known.

Antiestrogen drugs (such as clomiphene citrate and tamoxifen) block sexhormones from inhibiting the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and theLuteinizing Hormone (LH) in the brain. This triggers an increasedrelease of LH and FSH, which in turn stimulates testosterone production.Increased testosterone level improves spermatogenesis, thus improvingsperm density and motility. However a recent randomized, double-blind,multicenter study of 190 couples by the World Health Organization (WHO)showed no effect of clomiphene citrate. Tamoxifen was claimed to improvesperm concentration but no change in motility was usually detected. Asfor clomiphene, recent studies did not confirm its efficacy.

Testosterone Rebound therapy involves large doses of testosterone thatsuppress the activity of the patient's pituitary gland. This, in turn,reduces the intratesticular level of testosterone to systemic levelsfrom the usual level. Then the androgen therapy is discontinued in thehope that the system will rebound and improved spermatogenesis willresult.

This therapy is not recommended since a large number of treated patientscontinue to exhibit azoospermia after treatment.

Testolactone, an aromatase inhibitor, prevents the conversion oftestosterone to estradiol. It has been tested in patients withidiopathic oligospermia but contrasting results have raised many doubtson its efficacy.

Mesterolone is a synthetic androgen widely used to treat idiopathic maleinfertility. A recent study sponsored by WHO failed to show any efficacyof this drug.

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is administered empirically topatients with defects in sperm count or motility to correct a presumedintratesticular deficiency of testosterone. Some patients actuallyexperienced a depression of sperm count due to an increased estrogenproduction by the testes.

Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (HMG) has approximatively equal LH and FSHactivity but its use has produced increased sperm counts in only about50% of cases.

FSH and HCG or HCG and HMG combination therapy does not appear toimprove these results any better.

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) is expensive and disappointingresults have been obtained.

Kallikrein can improve sperm motility with increases in spermconcentration but only in about 50% of cases.

Also L-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine have been studied as candidatedrugs for the treatment of asthenospermia.

Vitali G. et al. (Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res. XXI(4):157-159, 1995)investigated the effectiveness of L-carnitine administration in a groupof patients with idiopathic asthenospermia. A favourable effect of thecompound on sperm motility and rapid linear progression has been shownin 37 out of 47 patients treated. Same results were obtained by Török L.(Dermatol.Monatsschr. 169:572-575, 1983).

Costa M. et al. (Andrologia, 26:155-159, 1994) showed a significantimprovement, both in a quantitative and qualitative manner, inspermatozoal motility after administration of L-carnitine. Theyspeculated that in infertile patients impairment occured either inepididymal function or in the ability of sperm to capture and utilizecarnitine (Bartelloni M. et al., Acta Eur. Fertil. 18:29-31, 1987).Thus, the administration of carnitine would provide additive substratefor sperm energy metabolism and motility.

Müiller-Tyl E. et al. (Fertilität 4:1-4, 1988) suggested thatL-carnitine therapy can be successful in infertile patients. In fact,results demonstrated a continuous increase in the carnitine levels insperm following carnitine treatment and a contemporary increase inmotility and sperm cell count.

Loumbakis P. et al. (XII^(th) Congress of the European Association ofUrology. Paris, Sept. 1-4, 1996) provided preliminary data suggestingthat carnitine administration may positively affect sperm quality.

Finally, Moncada M. L. et al. (Acta Eur. Fertil. 23(5):221-224, 1992)investigated the effect on sperm quality of acetyl-L-carnitineadministered to patients affected by idiopathic oligoasthenospermia.Acetyl-L-carnitine had no effects on sperm density, but showed toincrease progressive sperm motility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that the oral or parenteral administration of acombination preparation comprising in admixture L-carnitine and acetylL-carnitine or the pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof in a molarratio ranging from 1.5:1 to 1:1.5 is remarkably effective for treatingidiopathic asthenozoospermia, even in those patients who were shown notto respond to treatment with the known, conventional aforesaid drugs.

It has also been found that the combination preparation of the presentinvention exhibit a marked superiority over the results obtained byadministering L-carnitine or acetyl L-carnitine separately, i.e. asmonotherapies.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Preferably, the molar ratio between L-carnitine inner salt and acetylL-carnitine inner salts or the pharmacologically acceptable saltsthereof is 1:1.

The combination preparations of the present invention, when in unitdosage form, comprise from 0.33 g to 0.22 g of L-carnitine inner saltand from 0.28 g to 0.42 g of acetyl L-carnitine or equimolar amounts ofthe pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof.

Preferred combination preparations in unit dosage form comprise 0.22 gof L-carnitine inner salt and 0.28 g of acetyl L-carnitine inner salt orequimolar amounts of the pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof.

It was, furthermore, found that although the daily dose of the aforesaidactive ingredients to be administered is determined from the age, weightand condition of the patient, utilizing sound professional judgement, itis generally advisable to administer in a single dose or multiple doseadministration regimen 0.66-1.0 g/day of L-carnitine and 0.80-1.3 g /dayof acetyl L-carnitine or equivalent molar amounts of thepharmacologically acceptable salts thereof. Larger doses can be safelyadministered in view of the extremely low toxicity of the aforesaidactive ingredients.

A clinical study aimed at evaluating whether supplementation with thedrug association therapy is effective in improving reduced spermmotility over L-carnitine monotherapy and acetyl L-carnitinemonotherapy, respectively, is hereinbelow described.

Thirty-six patients responding to the following inclusion/exclusioncriteria were enrolled. “Inclusion criteria: young, infertile males withidiopathic asthenozoospermia recognized as the sole cause of infertilityat least two years duration; semen parameters to be met on at least twosamples: sperm concentration (M/ml) between 10-20, motility (%)>20<40 at2 hours, rapid linear progression (%)<20 at 2 hours.

Exclusion criteria: undescended testes, varicocele (grade 3), traumaticor infection related testicular atrophy, obstruction, inflammation andinfection of the genital tract, any endocrine disorder affecting thehypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis; post-pubertal mumps, evidence ofantisperm antibodies.

All patients gave their informed consent to this open study.

Semen was obtained by masturbation after at least four days of sexualabstinence. The samples were analysed within one hour after ejaculationfor all the parameters by the standard methods recommended by the WHO(1987). The sperm motility was studied using a computer motilityanalyser on at least two specimens.

Semen analysis and motility assessment were carried out at baseline andafter 4 months of L-carnitine (N=12) or acetyl-L-carnitine (N=12) orassociation drug (N=12) treatment.

L-carnitine was administered at the dose of 2 g/day (2×500 mg tabletb.i.d., after meals) for 4 months. Acetyl-L-carnitine was administeredat the dose of 4 g/day (2×1 g sachet b.i.d., after meals) for 4 months.The association drug treatment (L-carnitine+acetyl-L-carnitine) wasadministered at the dose of 2 g/day (2×500 mg tablet composed of 220 mgL-carnitine and 280 mg acetyl-L-carnitine, b.i.d. after meals) for 4months.

Data were analyzed using Student's “t” test for paired data.

Results

Semen analysis

Variable Acetyl-L- LC + (mean ± SD) Baseline L-Carnitine Baselinecarnitine Baseline ALC Mortility (%) 26.8 ± 5.4 33.1 ± 4.6 24.9 ± 4.530.9 ± 4.5 26.3 ± 4.5 40.8 ± 6.3 * # § a b Concentration (M/ml) 15.7 ±2.0 26.0 ± 2.8 16.7 ± 3.6 18.1 ± 2.0 16.2 ± 2.4 30.8 ± 3.6 ** b § a bSpermatozoa with 9.8 ± 1.5 17.0 ± 1.5 10.3 ± 1.1 16.0 ± 1.2 10.0 ± 1.221.6 ± 2.8 rapid linear ** b § ** b progression (%) LC + ALC =L-Carnitine + Acetyl-L-carnitine *p ≦ 0.05 versus L-Carnitine # p ≦ 0.05versus Acetyl-L-carnitine § p ≦ 0.001 versus L-Carnitine +Acetyl-L-carnitine a p ≦ 0.001 versus L-Carnitine b p ≦ 0.001 versusAcetyl-L-carnitine **p ≦ 0.001 versus L-Carnitine

Before treatment values of seminal parameters were below those of WHOnormal ranges.

The association drug treatment significantly increased the concentrationand the motility of spermatozoa as well as the percentage of spermatozoawith rapid linear progression in comparison to L-carnitine andacetyl-L-carnitine monotherapy treatments.

The medicament of the present invention can be prepared by mixing theactive ingredients (L-carnitine inner salt and acetyl L-carnitine innersalt or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof) with excipientssuitable for the formulation of compositions which lend themselves toenteral administration (particularly oral administration) or toparenteral administration (particularly by the intramuscular orintravenous route). All such excipients shall be readily apparent to onehaving ordinary skill in this art.

Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the aforesaid active ingredientsinclude all pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are prepared by theaddition of an acid to L-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine inner saltsand which do not give rise to undesired toxic or side effects. Theformation of pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts is wellknown in pharmaceutical technology.

Non-limiting examples of suitable salts include chloride; bromide;iodide; aspartate, particularly acid aspartate; citrate, particularlyacid citrate; tartrate; phosphate, particularly acid phosphate;fumarate, particularly acid fumarate; glycerophosphate; glucosephosphate; lactate; maleate, particularly acid maleate; orotate;oxalate, particularly acid oxalate; sulphate, particularly acidsulphate; trichloroacetate; trifluoro acetate and methanesulphonate.

What is claimed is:
 1. A dry combination preparation in unit dosage formcomprising a pharmacologically acceptable salt of L-carnitine and apharmacologically acceptable salt of acetyl L-carnitine, saidcombination being (i) in a unitized amount effective for increasing theconcentration or motility of spermatozoa in a human, and (ii) in a formsuitable for oral administration.
 2. The combination of claim 1comprising a pharmacologically acceptable salt of L-carnitine and acetylL-carnitine, said salt being selected from the group consisting ofchloride, bromide, iodide, aspartate, acid aspartate, citrate, acidcitrate, tartrate, phosphate, acid phosphate, fumarate, acid fumarate,glycerophosphate, glucose phosphate, lactate, maleate, acid maleate,orotate, oxalate, acid oxalate, sulphate, acid sulphate,trichloroacetate, trifluoroacetate and methanesulphonate salts, orcarnitine inner salt.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said saltis selected from the group consisting of acid aspartate, acid citrate,acid phosphate, acid fumarate, acid maleate, acid oxalate, and acidsulphate.
 4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said salt ofL-carnitine is L-carnitine acid fumarate.
 5. A method for increasing theconcentration or motility of spermatozoa in a human in need thereof,comprising administering orally or parenterally to said human each ofL-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine in a combined amount providing saidincrease in concentration or motility of spermatozoa.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, comprising administering to said human being an admixture ofL-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine.
 7. The method of claim 5, comprisingadministering a pharmacologically acceptable salt of L-carnitine oracetyl L-carnitine, said salt being selected from the group consistingof chloride, bromide, iodide, aspartate, acid aspartate, citrate, acidcitrate, tartrate, phosphate, acid phosphate, fumarate, acid fumarate,glycerophosphate, glucose phosphate, lactate, maleate, acid maleate,orotate, oxalate, acid oxalate, sulphate, acid sulphate,trichloroacetate, trifluoroacetate and methanesulphonate salts, orcarnitine inner salt.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said salt isselected from the group consisting of acid aspartate, acid citrate, acidphosphate, acid fumarate, acid maleate, acid oxalate, and acid sulphate.9. The method of claim 5, wherein administration is oral.
 10. The methodof claim 5, wherein the administration is parenteral.